Unbroken Glass

[Ciuty80]

tassi a really tough woman...i like that

excited about what will happen in the hospital!!!

p.s.: by the way Scion i bought your story on amazon and it REALLY hooked me!!!!!!

[Emily]

Haha, I am. One of these days I'll trail some hot sneezy guy from the streets into his house and I'll be wondering what the hell I did while I've got the cuffs on me. Yes, they are very much all connected. But then again, that's one of the reasons I like 'em. They're like old friends. Oh god. I sound like a geezer. You bring out the old man in me.

And don't writing these stories give you enough sadistic pleasure? To think that you'd be cruel enough to feed off my insignificant confusion...I'm going to seriously hit you hard with my next challenge, I promise.

[Scion]

sillystarsmoons: Haha! Good. I'm glad to hear it. *grins like an idiot*

Awesome Galaxy: Lol, that Tassi. Wouldn't wanna get on her bad side! And thank you!

sneezytwilight: Hehe, I don't really know how I do it either! It just kind of happens. Glad you like, though! Means a lot.

obsessed: Ha, yep. Tassi is one scary girl. In a good way, of course. Glad you're enjoying her...and Carter.

Ciuty80: Me too. Tough women are always more fun to read about, I think. And aww, thank you! I'm SO GLAD! That seriously, gah, I don't even have words. But it's the most important thing in the world to me!

Emily: Haa. Yeah. I'm kinda predictable in that way as well. And in my taste in men. Ahh, so if you ever vanish from this site, it'll be safe to assume you've gone and gotten yourself arrested, huh? Hmm. May be worth it. Lol, the "old man" in you. I'm wondering if that's some kind of twisted compliment. I mean, I'd have thought to bring out the old WOMAN in you, maybe. But the old MAN? That has to be an accomplishment. Ha! Any confusion on your part is like a balm to my soul. Yep. We'll just see who comes out on top in this vicious cycle, shall we?

Part Eight:

“Where to?” Keane asked.

Tassi scooted closer to Carter, who was staring blankly into the distance. “Carter?” she probed, poking his shoulder.

“Huh?” He blinked in slow motion. “Oh. Um. Yeah. Worcester.”

“Worcester,” Keane repeated. “Got it.”

Carter mashed his cheek to the window as Keane took off, looking beyond exhausted. To her horror, Tassi saw a lone tear escape one of his tightly closed eyes. To her even greater horror, she found herself stroking his shoulder.

“Hey,” she said softly. “Come here, dummy.” When he cracked open a bleary eye, she patted her lap invitingly.

The eye closed, his face seeming to crumple with relief as he half-collapsed onto her lap with a long sigh. “H-oh, thank you,” he breathed. “Thank you.”

“Yeah, yeah.” But she began petting his hair with one hand and rubbing his back with the other, because she was just that far gone.

He tensed a little, tugging his shirt up to his face as a grumpy breath stuttered from his lips. “Hiht’ISHttuu!” His head jumped a little, then fell back to her lap, only to snap forward again with a “Atschh’ushh!”

“Bless you,” Keane and Brenna said from up front. They then looked at each other and smiled adoringly.

Ick.

“Hm. Thanks,” Carter mumbled. “And umm. Sorry. I guess. Tass.”

“You can apologize later. Just try to sleep for a while.” God, his hair was so unfairly, disgustingly soft.

“H-okay.” He snuggled closer, pressing his cheek to her belly. “Try not…to enjoy this too much,” he murmured.

Tassi was appalled to find a smile trying to claim her mouth. The little jerk was poisoning her against…well…herself! “Just shut up and sleep, Ego-Face.”

And so he did.

It took about an hour to get to Worcester, and then another ten minutes to navigate the hospital parking lot.

Tassi hated to wake him, but… “Hey. Wake up. We’re here.” She gave his cheek a soft pat. “Carter?”

“What!?” He shot up, the top of his head cracking against her chin. “Ow, shit. Sorry!”

She would have snapped at him, but even she knew this wasn’t the time. “It’s fine.” She rubbed her chin surreptitiously.

“Wait, we’re here?” His eyes went wide and he scrambled out of the car as fast as he could.

“Wait, slow down,” Tassi called, shooting out after him and grabbing his arm.

“No.” He pulled away from her, stalking toward the main entrance.

Brenna and Keane got out and jogged after him while Tassi tried to collect herself. Finally, when she thought she could open her mouth without screaming, she took in a deep breath and pounded after them.

By the time she swung through the doors, Carter was already speaking with the receptionist, Keane and Brenna on either side of him. Then they were off again, heading straight to ICU.

They tore down a hall, coming to an abrupt halt as Carter threw himself at a really tall, sweet-faced woman with black-rimmed glasses and jade green eyes.

“Mom! Mom! Is he okay?” Carter babbled, gripping the woman’s shoulders.

She drew him into a tight hug, murmuring in a hoarse whisper, “He’s okay. He’s going to be okay. He just got out of surgery, and the doctors say, well, it went as good as could be expected.”

“Well, what does that mean?” he demanded, pulling away from her with a pissed-off expression that suddenly morphed into one of vacant confusion. He spun away from his mom, arching forward and folding his hands around his nose and mouth. “Hehhihh…Hih’ifftSHhnng! Uhg’TSCHH!”

“Bless you,” his mom said, sounding surprised. “Honey, you okay?”

“Am I okay?” he scoffed, turning back around and raking his hands back through his hair. “Like that matters now? God. God, Mom. How did this happen?”

Tassi’s legs moved of their own accord, walking her right up to Carter so she could place her hand in the center of his back.

“I don’t know,” his mom whispered, striking tears from her cheeks. “The police were here a little while ago.” She shrugged helplessly. “I just don’t know. He told me he was going to Nyssa’s, but…”

“Hey, Mom. It’s okay,” Carter tried to soothe. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. I’m just--ugh, never mind. It doesn’t matter.”

“He’s really tired,” Tassi said to the woman.

“Oh, um. Yeah. Mom, this is Tassi. Tassi, my mom.” Carter’s voice was like a dried husk, rough and void of life. “Look, when can we see him? Is he--is he awake?”

“He’s asleep right now,” his mom replied, sending Tassi a smile and a nod. “I would have stayed with him, but I wanted to…” She cleared her throat. “I wanted to wait for you.”

He nodded. “Okay, let’s go.” He turned to Brenna and Keane, and looked about ready to drop dead on the spot.

“It’s okay. We’ll wait. Take as long as you need,” Brenna said, and Keane nodded his agreement.

“H-oh, thank you,” Carter sighed. “God, sorry. I--”

“Man, it’s cool.” Keane offered up a sad smile. “Just go see your brother.”

Carter nodded his thanks. He put one arm around his mom, the other around Tassi, and together the three of them entered Carter’s brother’s room.

***

[Galaxy]

Ummm, yeah, I probably mentioned this before, but I LOVE THIS FREAKING STORY.

Ohhh, when he sneezed with his head in her lap, that was just too sweet. <3 I love this SO bad.

[Sawyer]

TWO UPDATES TO READ TODAY! You are the best. This is amazing.

AWW yayayay I love Brenna! I'm so glad she's back!! She and Keane are soooo so super cute. And when Tassi said to him "you're sick" awww I just died, I like how sweet she's becoming with him. And... when he was in her lap and she was like, holding him, and when he was sneezing and oh my god it was just so adorable! She was comforting him! Also, YOUR TWISTS NEVER STOP. Your writing is like a sexy rollercoaster, I love it. Sorry if that sounded WEIRD, you know I mean it in the least weird way possible.

[sillystarsmoons]

Scion- I am in fantasy world every time I read your chapters I loved that chapter. I can't wait for the next one; just awww.

[TheCakeIsAlive]

Awww, worried Carter is cute. Lovely story.

[Tassielli]

So Uhmmmm. Yeah. ?

[obsessed]

mm I'm a fan <3

[sneezytwilight]

uhhhhhhh that's all i can say. for a good reason. Its so cute tassi is getting too cute!!

[Ciuty80]

gaahhhhh wonderful update!!!

please even MOAR!

[Emily]

Speaking of predictability, are we going to have a fic about Carter's brother and this "Nyssa" next? And yes, you can take it that I've stalked some poor boy with a hot sneeze and invited myself to his home. That or I'll be accused of kidnapping. Emily's a bad girl. Haha, you're quite the overachiever, now aren't you? Now you can brag that you write gender-bending tales. Although that may not necessarily be a good thing... I swear, I wasn't aiming to compliment you, though. LOL We'll see where this goes. Let's take this outside next time, huh?

[Butch]

Scion - read it. love it...great as always. can't wait for an update.

[Scion]

THANK YOU ALL!!! I would reply to all of you, since you deserve it and I love you all, but I really, honestly don't have the time. Querying agents is now officially eating my life. Oh, and @Emily: Shut up! It wasn't supposed to be a secret! Hmm, but I think I'll write Cam's story first, then go on to Carter's brother. Ohh, you! And @Sen Beret: Oh, I get ya! Totally not werid or creepy at all!

Part Nine:

“Hey.” Tassielli poked his side. “What’s your brother’s name?”

“Hm? Oh. Cian.” Carter paused in the doorway, staring at the slender form tucked into the white rectangle of the bed.

She nodded while Carter’s mom went over to the bed, bending to kiss her son on the forehead.

“Oh God,” Carter said, his voice strangled, a green sheen descending over his features.

“Carter?” Tassi, alarmed, moved to stand in front of him, pressing one hand over his heart. “What’s wrong?”

But he wasn’t looking at her. He was staring at his brother in complete and total horror. Tassi followed his gaze, soaking in Cian’s pale, sickly form. She would have said he looked exactly like Carter, but his hair was darker, closer to copper than gold. She wondered if he had green eyes. Probably. He looked…awful. His closed eyes were sunken, his cheeks hollow, his lips cracked and bloody.

“Cian,” Carter whispered. He took a halting step toward the bed, paused, gulped in a panicked breath, then turned and bolted back out into the hall.

She followed after him, her heart racing madly. She didn’t have far to go. He stopped a few feet outside the door, yanking his shirt up so that it covered his entire face. Then he leaned back against the wall, sucked in a lungful of air, and:

“Hkssh’TCHOO! Huhh…Ih’KSSH’uh!” He started to lower the shirt, but then tugged it back up as he shot forward with a final: “Huh’pTSCHhhuh!”

Tassi approached him as he dropped his shirt back into place, rubbing at his reddened nose with his knuckles. She allowed her hand to settle on his back.

“Um. Whoa,” he said a bit breathlessly. “Sorry?” He blinked down at her with pink, drizzly eyes. “Didn’t want my germs anywhere near him.”

An hour ago, she’d have rolled her eyes, but now she found his thoughtfulness annoyingly endearing. “He’s going to be fine,” she told him, holding his gaze. “The doctors said--”

“And doctors are never wrong?” He winced, massaged his temples. “Sorry. Sorry. I’m not usually all…”

“Jerkish?”

“Yeah, that. I mean, I don’t need to be when I look like this.” He tried for a smile and failed pretty miserably.

“Well.” She patted his back. “Come on. Let’s go back. If you’re done. You are done, right?”

He squinted, blinked a few times, and shook his head. He let his mouth open just a little before tucking his face in his elbow. “Essh’shhiuue! Hh’nggSHH!”

“Now?” she asked with a half-smile as he recovered.

He nodded. “Yup. Ready. I mean: I’m done.”

Huh. He was…different than she’d thought. Not a pompous asshole. No. Far from it. Rolling her eyes at herself, she walked with him back into the room his brother was in. This time, he didn’t hesitate in striding right up to the bed. He squeezed Cian’s foot, then sat down next to his mom and rested a hand on his brother’s milky knuckles.

Tassi took the chair in the corner of the room and sat staring at Carter like some kind of freaky stalker. But, God, the way his eyes kept closing, only to snap back open again as he fought to stay awake…made her itch to be nearer to him so she could ease the strain so clear in the set of his shoulders.

Suddenly, Carter’s attention snapped to his brother. “Cian? You awake?”

Tassi tensed, listening, as Carter’s mom flew to her feet.

“Car…ter? What’re you…doing here?” came Cian’s groggy reply.

“Idiot,” Carter huffed, ruffling his brother’s limp hair. “D’you even know where ‘here’ is?”

Tassi stood, drifting up behind Carter to peer over his shoulder. Cian’s eyes were barely open, but she could make out pale slivers of green; she smiled.

Carter’s mom pressed a hand to her trembling mouth, her eyes glistening as she bent to scatter kisses all over Cian’s face despite his weak, half-hearted protests.

Abruptly, Carter backed away from the bed, expression distressed. He clamped the fold of his elbow tightly over his nose and mouth, spinning away from his brother as his eyes pinched shut. “Hp’ntchh! Nnk’uue! Hmm..mppfft!” He waited a few seconds, sniffed, then lowered his arm back to his side with a guilty expression. “Sorry,” he said to Cian. “Didn’t expect that.”

The shadow of a smile crept over Cian’s face. “Stop worrying,” he whispered. “M’fine.”

Carter snorted a laugh. “Oh, really? You call getting stabbed ‘fine?’”

Cian winced, paling to a grayish shade.

“Hey. Cian? You okay?” Carter sounded on the verge of…something, possibly tears.

Tassi came up behind him, twined her arms around his waist even as she wondered what the heck was wrong with her. Not only was Carter a guy, but she barely knew him--in fact, she really didn’t know him at all.

“Yeah,” Cian breathed. He closed his eyes. “Just…tired.”

“Oh, honey,” their mom cooed, petting the boy’s hair. “You sleep. We can talk later.”

“Yeah, little brother,” Carter agreed. “You’re no good to us if you can’t even keep your eyes open.”

Cian’s lips twitched, and he was asleep in an instant.

Tassi felt Carter sway, and tightened her hold on him. “Sit,” she commanded, hooking her foot around a chair and tugging it up behind him.

He sat--collapsed, really, into the chair. “H-oh…shihhhit.” He fisted a chunk of his shirt over the lower half of his face, curling toward his knees. “Hhnk’nuh! Hhh…chhgtk!”

Tassi stood behind the chair, massaging Carter’s shoulders as he groaned, muffling another pair of sneezes in his shirt.

“Mmp’chh! Huh’unnk!”

Tassi gritted her teeth, but the words still somehow escaped: “Bless you.”

His head shot up, swiveling toward her. “Whoa!” He paused, coughing into an elbow. “Did I just hear what I think I did?”

“No. You didn’t.” She patted his head. “You should get your ears checked out.”

He gave her a loopy sort of smile. “You like me.”

She scoffed. “You wish.”

“Any chance you’d be willing to double as my pillow?”

“None.” But she kept on massaging his shoulders, the back of his neck.

He pouted, all cute and sniffly, the jerk.

She leaned down to whisper in his ear, “At least, not in front of your mom.”

He grinned full out, his eyes full of “I told you so”s.

She smiled back, utterly defeated.

***

THE END.

[Tassielli]

Im . . . Confused. But a good confused. I liked the story. But I'm still confused. But then again the concept of gravity confused me. Like it's there it's a known fact. Prove it. Well just jump up and you'll come back down. But that's a while bunch of circumstantial shit. Sooo. Weird. Oh well. I liked it. But... Still confused. It probBly take too long to explain it to me though so I'm good. Love you, bye bye.

[RSB]

I really liked this one and how Tassi eventually caved to her nurturing instincts in the face of Carter's cute sniffly pathetic-ness. Amazing job as usual!

[sillystarsmoons]

Aww Scion that was such a perfect ending. I lovec it. Hope to see another story from you in the future.

[Butch]

Scion - Nice story..great ending. Can't wait to see another story from you, even if that takes awhile, since you're so busy.

[obsessed]

THOSE TWO ARE SO CUTE.

oh gosh

<3

[Galaxy]

I have to go with everyone else on this---that was a perfect ending! Carter's waaaay too cute for his own good, and I'm so freaking happy that Tassi finally sees that she laaaaikes him. I trust they will make an adorable couple in the future. <3 Amazing job as always!

[Ciuty80]

I have to go with everyone else on this---that was a perfect ending! Carter's waaaay too cute for his own good, and I'm so freaking happy that Tassi finally sees that she laaaaikes him. I trust they will make an adorable couple in the future. <3 Amazing job as always!

Awesome Galaxy just wrote what was also on my mind

maybe i shouldn´t scream out my own thoughts

keep up the good work Scion!!!

[Emily]

Haha, I'll wait patiently for the query peoples to get their hands off you and then I'll bring up a new challenge to make you bust your ass writing the Cam story. I think this story was a little overdramatic, but then we the people who love the drama and sneezing. :x I'm still going to be looking forward to a heavy caretaking story with Cian and Nyssa though. -crawls under a rock- This summer will eat my life away.

[Scion]

Eurgghhh, Emily! You don't get to complain about overdramatic-ness! This site is my refuge. Please, please, please don't turn it into a critique site or else I'll be forced never to return! I put in a smiley, but I'm serious. I've spent the ENTIRE DAY being torn apart and having my heart stomped on trying to polish up my query on the Absolutewrite forum, and I came here to revel in love...only to find out that my overdramatic story is overdramatic! Geesh.

[Emily]

I wish I had a smaller text font to type in right now. I'm really sorry. I know the feeling of having people tear apart your writing so I should have known better than to say something so insensitive. It's kinda hard to get sorry-ness through in just this insignificant comment though, so I promise I'll do something to apologize. [at least I hope it works.]

...can I still love your stories though? Cause I do love them a lot.

[Scion]

Awwwwwwwwwwww, you don't have to apologize! I'm just being all sulky and pathetic lol. You know I love you!